Ahmad Raza Khan was born on 14 June 1856 in Muhallah Jasoli, Bareilly Sharif, British India. His birth name is Muhammad; however, his grandfather called him Ahmad Raza and his mother named him Amman Miyān. Later on, he became known with the name which was kept by his grandfather.[3] Khan used the appellation "Abdul Mustafa" (slave [or servant] of Mustafa) prior to signing his name in correspondence.[4]

Ahmed Raza Khan Barelvi's father Allama Mawlana Naqi Ali Khan was the son of Allama Mawlana Raza Ali Khan. Some of his lineage up to a few generations is given here:[5][6]

Ahmed Raza Khan Barelvi belonged to the Barech[6] tribe of DurraniPushtuns. The Barech formed the largest tribal grouping among the Rohilla Pushtuns of North India who founded the state of Rohilkhand. The ancestors of Ahmed Raza Khan migrated from Qandahar during the Mughal rule and settled in Lahore. Allama Mawlana Sa'eedullah Khan held a high government post when he arrived in the Indo-Pak subcontinent. His son, Allama Mawlana Sa'adat Yaar Khan, after gaining victory in the city of Rohilla, was elected as the Governor of that city. Allama Mawlana Hafiz Kaazim Ali Khan, the son of Mawlana Muhammed Azam Khan, was a Tax-collector in the city of Budaun. His son, Allama Mawlana Raza Ali Khan, the illustrious grandfather of Imam Ahmed Raza Khan, did not serve in the Government. It was from this generation that the heads of the family began to adopt Tasawwuf as their way of life.

Ahmed Raza Khan wrote several books on various topics in Arabic, Persian and Urdu. Some of his books are Fatawa Radawiyyah (12 volumes), which is a compilation of fatwas, and Kanzul Iman (translation of the Qur'an). Several of his books have been translated in other European and South Asian languages.[8][9] Below is a list of some books written by him:

Ahmed Raza Khan also wrote poetry in the devotion and praise of Allah and praise Muhammed. Many of his hamds (poems in the praise and glory of Allah), nasheeds or naats (poems in the admiration of Muhammad) are famous even today[citation needed]. Following are a few examples:

Mustafa Jaan-e-Rahmat pe laakhoon salaam (This naat is widely recited after weekly Jumu'ah congregational prayers in Barelvi mosques throughout the world. It is also particularly recited in the mosques, rallies of Milad un Nabi, the birth of the Prophet, and TV and Radio programmes in South Asia and other countries where South Asian Sunnis are living.)

Ahmed Raza Khan was a Muslim scholar, belonging to Sunni tradition. He supported the traditional Sufi beliefs and practices as opposed to Wahabi and Deobandi movements. In this context he supported the following beliefs:

Muhammad, although insan-e-kamil (perfect human), possessed a nūr or "light" that predates creation. This contrasts with the Deobandi view that Muhammad, was only a insan-e-kamil ("complete man"), a respected but physically typical human.[10][11]

Muhammad is haazir naazir (can be present in many places at the same time by the power given by Allah, as opposed to Allah, who is everywhere, omnipresent, by Himself):[12]

We do not hold that anyone can equal the knowledge of Allah Most High, or possess it independently, nor do we assert that Allah’s giving of knowledge to the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) is anything but a part. But what a patent and tremendous difference between one part [the Prophet’s] and another [anyone else’s]: like the difference between the sky and the earth, or rather even greater and more immense.

When Ahmed Raza visited Mecca and Medina for pilgrimage in 1905, he prepared a draft document entitled Al Motamad Al Mustanad "The Reliable Proofs" for presentation to the scholars there. Ahmed Raza Khan collected opinions of the ulama of the Hejaz and compiled them in an compendium with the title "Sword of the Two Sanctuaries" (Urdu: حسام الحرمین‎, a work containing 34 verdicts from 33 ulama, 20 Meccan and 13 Medinese. In that work, which was to inspire a reciprocal series of fatwas between Barelvis and Deobandis continuing to the present, Ahmad Raza Khan denounced as kuffar the Deobandi leaders Ashraf Ali Thanwi, Rashid Ahmad Gangohi, and Muhammad Qasim Nanotvi.[17]

"He who doubts about the unbelief of the Deobandis is also an unbeliever."[19]

"If anyone has the same beliefs as the Deobandis have, he is also an unbeliever."[20]

"If anyone prays behind anyone of the Deobandis, he is also not a Muslim."[21]

"If anyone admires Darul-Ulum Deoband, or does not believe in the corruption of Deobandis and does not scorn them, then this is sufficient to make a judgement for him to be a non-Muslim."[22]

"Any person who doubts the kufr of these people (Deobandis) will themselves become kaafirs!"[23]

"Any person who would not call them (Deobandis) disbelievers or would maintain friendship with them, or would take into consideration their positions as teachers or relatives or friends will also definitely become one of them. He is a disbeliever like them. On the Day of Judgement, he will also be tied with them in the same rope. Whatever lame excuses and fraudulent arguments they give here are invalid and false."[24]

"If there is a gathering of Hindus, Christians, Qadiyanis and Deobandis, the Deobandis alone should be rejected, for they have come out of the fold of Islam and defected from it. Agreement with the unbelievers is far better than the agreement with the apostates!!"[25]

"The works of the Deobandis are more unclean than the various works of the Hindus. The doubt about the heresy of Ashraf AliDeobandi and suspicion about his punishment is also unbelief. To cleanse the impurity with the papers of the works produced by the Deobandis is not lawful, not because of the respect for their books, but because of the reverence of the letters with which they have been written."[26]

"The Wahhabis are more contemptuous than Iblis, indeed more mischievous and more straying than he, for the Shaytan does not tell a lie, but they tell a lie!!"[27]

"The Wahhabis are more wicked, harmful, and impure than the Jews and the Christians."[28]

"If anyone believes that the Wahhabi's are Muslims, he becomes an unbeliever. It is not lawful to pray behind him..."[29]

"He who hesitates in declaring Ashraf Ali (Thanawi) to be an unbeliever is himself an unbeliever."[30]

"The author of Behishti Zewar (by Maulana Thanawi) is an unbeliever. It is forbidden for a Muslim to look into it."[31]

"A woman is capable of committing fornication. Then according to the opinion of your leader and teacher, it is necessary that your God too should be capable of committing fornication - otherwise the prostitutes of the brothers of the Deobandis would laugh at Him and say: 'How do you claim for Godhead? You are not capable of doing which even we can do?' This naturally implies that your God must possess a female sexual organ - otherwise where will be the sexual intercourse?"[32]

Unlike most other Muslim leaders in the region at the time, Khan and his movement opposed the Indian independence movement due to its leadership under Mahatma Gandhi, who was not a Muslim.[34] Furthermore, Khan opposed labeling British India to be Dar al-Harb ("land of war"), thus opposing the Deobandi interpretation of jihad (struggle) or hijrat (migration to escape) who wished to begin jihad against British. Khan's stance was opposed by Deobandi scholars such as Muhammad Qasim Nanotvi.[35]

Ahmed Raza Khan's followers played a significant and active role in the Pakistan Movement at educational and political fronts.[36]

Allama Iqbal, the national poet of Pakistan and a renowned philosopher, said, "I have carefully studied the decrees of Imam Ahmed Raza and thereby formed this opinion; and his Fatawa bear testimony to his acumen, intellectual calibre, the quality of his creative thinking, his excellent jurisdiction and his ocean-like Islamic knowledge. Once Imam Ahmed Raza forms an opinion he stays firm on it; he expresses his opinion after a sober reflection. Therefore, the need never arises to withdraw any of his religious decrees and judgements. With all this, by nature he was hot tempered, and if this was not in the way, then Shah Ahmed Raza would have been the Imam Abu Hanifa of his age."[37] In another place he says, "Such a genius and intelligent jurist did not emerge."[38]

Ahmad Raza Khan was an extremist Sufi known for his Takfeer (declaring Kufr) and extremely heretical beliefs.[39] The Barelvi movement was a radical movement which did not accept the views of the Deoband Ulama, the Ahl-eHadith and some others.[40] Deobandis and Wahabis criticized Ahmed Raza Khan and his beliefs. For example, Ehsan Elahi Zaheer has written a detailed book on the Barelawis called, ‘Barelawis – History and Beliefs’ which highlights the influences of Shi’ism on the founder of the Barelawi school of thought. Their easiness with which they declare Kufr on their opponents. Their giving superstitions, baseless talk, unfounded stories and fables, the garb of religion. Their distortion (Tahreef) and misinterpretation of the Book and the Sunnah to support their beliefs. Similarly, another book that criticized the Barelwis is, ‘The Book of Unity or Oneness of Allah’ compiled by Muhammad Iqbaal Kailani.[39]

Ahmed Raza Khan is regarded by his followers as Imam-e-Ahl-e-Sunnat (Leader of the Ahl-e-Sunnat) and A'lahazrat. Today the Barelvi movement is spread across the globe with a huge number of followers in Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, UK and other countries. Many religious schools and research institutions have been established that work on the teachings of Ahmed Raza Khan.[citation needed]